What do YOU consider a GOOD SALARY? LOW SALARY? DECENT SALARY? GREAT SALARY? (employees, highest)

[jobaba]

This thread is so funny.

I'm sure kids reading this think that with any college degree they should be making six figures guaranteed by the time they are 35 and that without one they should be making at least 65K.

The real world is so not like that.

[NJBest]

Originally Posted by jobaba

This thread is so funny.

I'm sure kids reading this think that with any college degree they should be making six figures guaranteed by the time they are 35 and that without one they should be making at least 65K.

The real world is so not like that.

What is the real world like?

[jobaba]

Originally Posted by NJBest

What is the real world like?

This is the real world.

Personal income in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And the reality is that if you make six figures that you have a very good salary. Anywhere. NYC. San Fransisco. Wherever.

Those that are making 100K. That's great. You probably worked hard to get there.

But those that are making 100K and complaining it's still not enough to live, you're part of the problem. Somewhere out there, in your city, there's somebody busting their a@@ for 30K a year and supporting children.

[dazeddude8]

post college Id hoped to make anywhere from 30-40k a year maybe if I am lucky 50k. I know an English degree is not all that hot thus I thought 30-40k was reasonable enough. Now I am back in school pursuing something else entirely so I have lowered my hopeful salary to "Above minimum wage". Oddly enough for the summer, for temporary employment, minimum wage is where its at.

[Merchant_ZZZ]

Originally Posted by jobaba

This is the real world.

Personal income in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And the reality is that if you make six figures that you have a very good salary. Anywhere. NYC. San Fransisco. Wherever.

Those that are making 100K. That's great. You probably worked hard to get there.

But those that are making 100K and complaining it's still not enough to live, you're part of the problem. Somewhere out there, in your city, there's somebody busting their a@@ for 30K a year and supporting children.

There are people out there busting their ass making $10k who are always on call and whatnot.

[fishbrains]

As with every other self selected Internet poll, this one is terribly skewed.

With a median average income of $56,835, Washington state ranks No. 13 nationally, trailing U.S. leader Maryland at $70,004.

The use of median rather than average is important, as it shows the true midpoint. 1/2 of all workers in WA make less than $56k, 1/2 make more. Up thread several people in the WA area talk about $55-60 being on the low end of good, or 60-70 being "decent". The sad fact is that over half off all workers in WA do not make good or decent wages according to these posters, yet Washington is the 13th highest paid state.

[mizzourah2006]

Originally Posted by fishbrains

As with every other self selected Internet poll, this one is terribly skewed.

With a median average income of $56,835, Washington state ranks No. 13 nationally, trailing U.S. leader Maryland at $70,004.

The use of median rather than average is important, as it shows the true midpoint. 1/2 of all workers in WA make less than $56k, 1/2 make more. Up thread several people in the WA area talk about $55-60 being on the low end of good, or 60-70 being "decent". The sad fact is that over half off all workers in WA do not make good or decent wages according to these posters, yet Washington is the 13th highest paid state.

The question posed to the forum as what do you consider a good salary. In that context I referenced myself. If the question was what is the median income in your area the OP could have just looked it up.

[automobilist]

Originally Posted by jobaba

This is the real world.
#######
But those that are making 100K and complaining it's still not enough to live, you're part of the problem. Somewhere out there, in your city, there's somebody busting their a@@ for 30K a year and supporting children.

Choices. It's all about the choices one makes.

The English major chose that degree, knowing what the career prospects were.
Every parent chose to make kids (at least chose to have potentially child-producing sex...)
Every person chooses where they live.
Every person makes the choice how they will spend their days.

We make our own opportunity / "luck" by our choices. It's very apparent to me, that the better choices one makes, the better understanding of their own power of success they have.

[ForkInTheRoad]

Originally Posted by pvande55

If $20-30K is a good salary there, it must be a good place to retire. My estimated Social Security puts me in that range. Of course likely a decent job hasn't been spotted there in years.

Not unless you don't mind living in a closet eating ramen noodles twice a day. I didn't say I lived luxury. A normal life to me is a small cramped room, no utilities and the ability to order a "number" at McDonalds instead of the dollar menu while not having debt collectors harassing me.

I don't plan on owning property (house, car, retirement.)

[andywire]

To me, a good wage/salary is enough to cover COL, with enough left over to fund a reasonable retirement plan and live in a nicer part of town. Of course, that varies depending on where you live. I've lived great on 35K in the middle of nowhere and done just about the same on 50-60K living in a big city.

I don't think 40K is chump change these days, but to really get ahead around here, you probably need something closer to 50K or even 60K. A great salary? IDK. With a progressive income tax system, that might be 100K.

The real question I would ask is, what is required to earn that wage/salary? If you're working 80 hours a week for 100K a year, my hat goes off to ya, but that isn't quite a feat of accomplishment.